Last days of shows, first days of new ones always makes for a really busy time. Lots of packing and unpacking as well as looking around for new display props. Don't ask, but I will tell you, this lovely 40F weather is making me really happy as I am in search of something which grows in the woods... more on that later, if I am successful!Here is a photo of Leigh Pennebaker and one of her larger works.

danny mansmith "the gods" textile paintingSo many boxes, so much to do! Lovely work is pouring into the studio. Here is a "peek" at what's inside! Will be pulling down the old show tomorrow and designing the space to accomadate the new exhibit, so keepin' it short here. Scoot on over to the lovely hearts area of the shop - last day is tomorrow for purchases and doing good for the BCRF.

The word for the day is ... count ... your blessings, your chickens, your inventory!

February 26, 2007

rage/regret by kimberly lyford fabric/nails (click to enlarge)Extreme textiles begins on 3/2. Stay tuned for more unveiling.This piece is amazing, lifesize, and full of emotion. I don't need to add words. You can do that.Kimberly Lyford is a textile artist living in Wilder, Vt. Everything she does is with style and perfection to detail. Wait until you see her "quilts" - soon!

sunday shadows in our back garden areaI am thrilled to announce that I will be a guest blogger at Slate's popular Bix Box blog - along with three amazing small business owners: David M. Buschner - owner of a home furnishings store located near the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland, Derrick Daye, Managing Partner of the Brand Strategy Insider, and Andy Kruse, co-founder of Southwest Windpower. Great company to be in and it's exciting to be blogging about our small businesses! Our introductions should begin next week over there, so bookmark it and stop back, if you are interested in seeing a wild illustration of me or just some advice on small business issues, (yes, we artists are business people too!) which could prove helpful. A huge thank you to Grace from design sponge for pointing them in my direction!Speaking of helpful... and design sponge, did everyone go and download the pdf's she supplied last week on small business? If not - go, get over there now!

February 23, 2007

bird talk 5 1/4 by 8 1/4 inches acrylic & ink& japanese writing on rice paperCommunication - what we say, how we say it and to whom. it's all in the way you say things that makes the difference. words can heal and words can harm.find out more about communication at Illustration Friday today!Couple of reminders: Our charity exhibit: Lovely Hearts is still on in the shop and the gallery until February 28th. Some beautiful works, all under $100 are available here. Also, if you didn't already listen to my first podcast, (ok, it was a little long, but Leigh was pretty amazing!) you can still do so by clicking here. Next week at the gallery brings a brand new exhibition which we are just bursting to get organized - Danny Mansmith, Leigh Pennebaker, Kimberly Lyford and Jeanne McCartin. Get ready for someextreme textiles. Monday will bring some really big news from me, so stop back. Until then, have a wonderful weekend!

our dramatic hallway of prints and lightmy two gelatin prints Horizons I and IIJudith Heller and her massive wood cut hung by bamboo.Jeff and Keri next to his layers piece.a couple four photos of last night's show, at the Franklin Pierce Law School in Concord. It was fun, well attended and made me want to get going on some drypoints and gelatin prints. There was some beautiful work to see and the building itself was an architectural dream. The best part is that Parker said that the law students really stop and look and enjoy the art each day that the show is up. Makes me feel good inside to know that. Parker and Judith did an amazing job hanging the show. And somehow Judith took the time to hand carve a 4 x 5 foot woodcut for the show too. What can one say except ... wow. It is beautiful.

February 22, 2007

road at night monotype We are heading out to an opening of Prints of the Year sponsored by Parker Potter at Franklin Pierce Law School in Concord, NH . There are 110 pieces, from 63 artists in the show and it's my second year in participation. I have two works in the show - both are monotypes. Am looking forward to going as last year we were snowed in. The piece above is the third monotype in the series. The other two are in the show.

February 20, 2007

6x6 inches acrylic and ink on canvas $75 in the shopHere is a small painting which in a fit of dealing with subzero weather, I painted.It is sunny and yellow and makes me long for warmer climes. Instead, we are heading to Boston which with the ocean factor, should be even colder than home. After yesterday's wind, and car shopping in the cold, Boston will be yummy!No, no car as yet, but getting closer. Boston will bring some fun today. and at least the ocean will be close... albeit cold.

The word for the day is ... deal. as in I need to deal with it. the cold weather that is.

February 19, 2007

katherinedunn'slavender bundle amidst my shell shrine.notice the beautiful encaustic by susannagordon? lovelybowl by karineriksson from designsponge shop.Something to soothe the senses in mid February's bleak cold. Lavender from one of my favorite artists and farmers Katherine Dunn. I ordered this bundle right after the end of January and it came wrapped beautifully and fragrantly to my door soon after. Katherine is known for her paintings and has been interviewed here byPenelope Dullagan, but did you know she has an etsy shop too? That is where I found this bit of springtime which did my soul and senses good this frigid month.

Beautiful bugs by Mike Southern, Portland artist - available at etsy. I like the "natural pose" he drew into this etching. I generally like bugs in art, much more than lifeHere is his beetle. As his description says "nice madibles!"

Another heart inspired work by Lesa Morrissey. This lovely piece is all wool and stuffed and sits atop a sculptural base form. It is about 16 inches tall and five inches wide. $85, available here at artstream.

February 15, 2007

a moment of silence please.Our car has passed over to the greenfields of eternal parking.Where the grass is soft, the metermaids are always at lunch and the tires never go bald.At least the sun was shining brightly today for the event. Freezing rain would have done me in.Above is one of our favorite guys around, Bob. He did his best. He gave it his all. It's over.Ah well, we have our health, our undying love for each other, a great business, amazing friends, and adorable children. That's the true perspective. Cars are simply a freakin pain in the arse. Yeah, the car died, but really, it's just a great opportunity to introduce you to Bob, his "office" and his amazing license plate collection.(for those of you who knew donald, bob is really his twin brother from different mothers)

February 14, 2007

Our premiere podcast, thanks to Rainer (technical advisor, my valentine deluxe!) and Leigh Pennebaker - sculptor from NYC. We did the interview over the phone with Leigh during the blizzard this morning. Her work first captured my attention last summer while we were on Cape Cod and we are thrilled to be hosting her sculptures in our gallery next month. So grab a cup, and get close to the screen and enjoy!

Friend Mary Ellen had four of these cabinet doors in her basement. I was helping her move some things downstairs when I spied them. My face must have given me away because she immediately said "Do you want those?"... I think I had a dream about weathered wood with blue paint recently and these were it. Of course I do! Off they went to the studio. Two squares and two long rectangles. This is the beginning a work in progress. Portraits dictated by the shapes in the decay. Did you ever see faces inside the wood on your doors? hmmmmm. I did.Stop back later, our (r + me + Leigh Pennebaker) first PODCAST is being loaded up!

little bags of sweets for our valentines - photoshopped a bitLove love love. Snow snow snow. Our first snow day this year. What a great day for snow! Lots of time to bake and paint. Everybody call, mail and hug and kiss your sweeties today... and don't forget the secret message in the photo - love yourself + be you!

February 13, 2007

It was $2 and so how could I say no? I couldn't. But what to do with it. Assemblage time. It was beckoning to me at the thrift shop. It is a nice wooden teardrop! Go see what shelterrific found, now THAT is way cool!

more shameless promotion here for my print over at Prettydarnswell... it has two more weeks to go and well, hope that you hop over there and take a peek, grab a print before they are gone and check out the highly affordable work there by many wonderful artists!This image is going to be on an album cover this April it seems. I was contacted this weekend by SomeoneGood" a sister label to Room40 in Brisbane, Australia. The cool thing is, they are promoting a group of bands on this label from across the Asia Pacific region including musicians from Hong Kong (Pancakes), Japan (Tenniscoats, Akira Kosemura), Taiwan (My Little Airport) and Australia (Guy Blackman, The Rational Academy). The compilation is called 'Add to Friends' which of course is a reference to myspace as that's part of the way Room 40 discovered some of the artists.It's a small world after all... thrilled? you bet!

February 12, 2007

Can you tell how much I adore Valentines day? I really do. What is not to love about a holiday which is all about love? We have been making monsters here at artstream this past month, (check out the tutorial I wrote at Whip up) - and in between the paint drying and the stitching process we have been creating homespun valentines on canvas. Practicing our stitching and such. Ages 6 and up have been making these delights and I wanted to share them with you here. Aren't they sweet?The other valentines have been created from monotypes made with waterbased printmaking ink and after they are dry, we have cut them into heart shapes. More on how those turn out tomorrow!

February 11, 2007

Whew, what a weekend! Thank you,thank you, thank you to all of you who created work, bought work, came to the opening, and supported the show through your shout outs and badge posting! Of course some of you did a number of things on that list and achieved angel status. You people know who you are...But it's not really over yet ... even though we had over 100 people through the doors last night, the online shop still has some amazing work left! It was rather busy, so I didn't get as many photos as I would have liked to, but check out my flickr on the side bar for some and I expect to receive a few more photos by tomorrow by friends who attended and will post them there pronto. What a wonderful evening. Thank you all! We will get a tally at the end of the month and let you know what we will be sending to BCRF.

February 09, 2007

Cara's bleeding heart ... another spring hopeful! I enjoy these flowers so much in my garden, up close they are simply divine. This photograph is available here, framed and matted in a most beautiful manner. See more of Cara's work - beautiful botanicals and candids of children, (charming!) at her site right here!

February 08, 2007

Great news - Hop on over to K Style on Saturday for a slide show featuring the lovely heartsentries, made by K! A huge hug goes out to her for helping promote the event and for coming up with the slide show idea. For the most part, everything else is ready to go for the opening on Saturday night. Just the chocolate to melt on Saturday and the bubbly punch to prepare! Thanks to Karen yet again ... what a lovely heart she is! it feels good to finally finish my own lovely hearts!

The hope of spring is tucked inside a blustry frozen packet of winter outside this morning. Nothing like zipping by the thermometer and seeing -6F. The tulips above by Angela Gwinner, give me hope. That and a really hot cup of espresso this morning. Angela's print is for sale here for $50 at the Lovely Hearts exhibition. (with much less caloric value than chocolate and so very hopeful of spring!)

February 07, 2007

The dynamic, powerhouse writer - Kristina Gill from Three Layer Cake, went to IMM and I am simply chartruse with envy. Not only is Cologne one of my favorite cities but I have always wanted to see the IMM. Next best thing? Click here for some scoop. Big flowers are in - hooray!

Something beautiful via Ullabenulla - yet again! Laura Baxter's contemporary Jewellery. (Two LL's because she is British.) Go have a look... these seed pods are delightful! She uses nature as a wonderful springboard to her designs.

The word for the day is ... uncover ... a secret, a present, a mystery!

February 06, 2007

Lots of people are talking about beauty in the "everyday". I love that. Simplicity and sanity, lifting up the ordinary, savoring the sweetness of each moment. My moment each day begins with our spoons. I love to buy spoons in Germany each year. They are everywhere. They have a spoon for everything you could imagine. Each and everyone of them have a historical moment in my life behind them. Silly, everyday kind of moments. The pressed glass container I have owned for years, which served no purpose until 7 years ago when I started buying spoons. Lovely marriage of beauty and usefulness.

Li Xi gift envelope by Design Nightjust popped into my inbox from Tram Phram. I saw it too at Oh Joy! last week... totally loving this envelope! I completely love Chinese New Year and am considering throwing a party this year as it is the Year of the Pig - daughter #2 has a serious "thing" about pigs. These beautiful "Lucky Money" envelopes are absolutely stunning. Delicate and modern, with a tradtional twist- I think they would be grand for a special valentine greeting!

Wish your loved ones good fortune and happiness with this beautiful lasercut envelope. The design celebrates 2007, the Year of the Pig. The card design was inspired by the ancient craft of papercuts, an original art form created in China. Perfect for birthdays, weddings, Chinese New Year and other special occasions.Size: 2.85” x 4”

From the lovely Pan-Dan blog: Luxe Travel and style guides to the best Asian, European and Australian cities for the discerning traveler. Each hip, smart and stylish pocket-sized guidebook is packed with a highly selective list of only the best shops, restaurants and hotels, unique services. Now that is a guide with style, class and design quality. I couldn't pass this up as they are so much more beautiful outside than any other traditional guide book that I have seen. Still busy here hearting it up!

February 05, 2007

This necklace is created from a goldplated chain and freshwaterpearls.Estyn Hulbert creates beautiful jewelry in Brooklyn, NY. She sent us this lovely heart submission and has a wonderful website here which explains her process and materials. Thank you Estyn!

Sometimes a title of an artwork evokes such emotion.Judith does this again and again with her works.Here is her lovely heart sculpture which stands about 5 inches high.Made from wax, a limb of a tree and metal, it pierces my heart!

This weekend was full - ending last night with a "salon" at some dear friends home. Among the guests was Democratic presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich and his lovely wife. He spoke informally for awhile and his words rang true to my ears. Lots of wonderful music was played by Regina Delany on her Irish harp and some wonderful fiddlers played some traditional dancing "dee- del- lee- dee" music so we could all grab a partner and dance a reel. Nice ending to all the work I had been doing with the lovely hearts for two days straight! I still have a little way to go, so bear with me, if you don't see your heart on our main site or in the shop yet. It's coming! Promise. I heard there was a football game last night too, I do hope it was fun for all of you who watched it!

We promised great tunes for our Lovely Hearts opening and we plan on delivering!Chris Wilhelm from Boston, has agreed to play at our event with his acoustic guitar and haunting voice. Love will be in the air along with the scent of chocolate and an overwhelming abundance of "Lovely Hearts" in art form. Close to 120 pieces of artwork have arrived at the gallery or are en route today - all of which will appear in the gallery shop and our artstreamstudios website soon! Make your choices now, shipping will be directly to you right after the event! Some work is already sold, but a lot of beautiful new items are being put in the shop this weekend.Thank you to Andrea Kulish for introducing Chris to our gallery and event. Click here for a preview of his music. Come to the event for the live version.

Small dwellings living on frozen lakes, housing mad people who sit and wait for fish to come to their spot on the ice. I am not interested in what happens on the inside. I have always been enamoured with the look of these temporary communities popping up on the lakes around New Hampshire. Obsessed in a way, even. I have dozens of photographs of them from Newfound Lake, when I lived up there. I took this one at Alton Bay on Wednesday this week. Small community of tiny dwellings made from recycled materials, usually. Another painting series emerging from this inspiration, yet again. Last series was in watercolor in 1999. This time it will be on birch wood in acrylic.On a personal note - Study that photo Edward... remember how cold it is here while you are in the sunny climes! send postcards and bonne chance in Venezuela and Cuba. See you in the spring, we'll miss you!